Discus world champion ready to skip C'wealth Games

February 25, 2010 15:06 IST

Australia's discus world champion Dani Samuels will give the Commonwealth Games a miss if security risks become too high but Olympic silver medallist hurdler Sally McLellan said he would travel to India come what may.

Security has become a huge issue for the October 3-14 Games in Delhi with athletes from across the Commonwealth developing a cold feet about travelling to India.

"If the danger is extremely, extremely high and they're telling people not to go I would make that sacrifice," said Samuels, who became the youngest ever female world champion in the event last year.

"Hopefully I'll have a long career and there will be plenty more Commonwealth Games. Waiting another four years won't kill me," she said.

"I understand and have seen a lot of the media things and think my family and friends are more worried about it than I am.

"I know safety is a very high priority, obviously, but people aren't going to be sent over there if it's not 100 per cent safe. It is only sport," she said.

Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist in the 100m hurdles Sally McLellan, however, has no such apprehension and the athlete, making a comeback after an injury layoff, said she was not scared.

"We're going to be in a (athlete's) village. We'll probably be the safest people in India," McLellan was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.

"So I'm not scared. Even if there was a heightened security risk, I'd probably still go anyway just because you don't want to miss your chance.

"That could be the last Australian team you ever be on, you never know, so you don't want to miss out," said McLellan who holds the Australian record for the 100 metre hurdles.